Liturgy Practicum 1

What three factors ("subcategories") does Bonewits identify as determining the impact of "familiarity" on the success of a ritual? Briefly discuss the ways in which personal or family-only ritual is aided or hindered by these factors when compared to public group ritual. (Minimum 100 words)

Bonewits, in Neo Pagan Rites , identifies three facets of participant familiarity that may impact the success or lack thereof of a ritual. He lists these factors as knowledge, affection, and group identity (Bonewits 57). In short, the degree to which ritual participants know each other, (strengths, weaknesses, and preferences), the amount and kind of affection they feel for one another, and the strength of their shared goals, values, and general identification as part of a cohesive group will forge psychic links between participants. The above factors can result in myriad psychic links between participants. Yet their absence or weakness can sunder a group consciousness. The number and strength of these links directly mirror the group’s ability to raise mana, that spiritual juice which is offered in ritual and received in return. More links = more mana. Fewer links= less mana. More mana leads to a better ritual. However, if these three aspects of familiarity are weak or missing completely, then the ritual will be more difficult, a group mind difficult to achieve, and the mana difficult to raise.

A family ritual, while probably generating less mana than a group ritual (depending on the size of your family), will have an advantage when it comes to the level of familiarity. It is safe to assume that, barring severe dysfunction, a family group will have extensive knowledge of one another's abilities and can capitalize on that. One may also assume a natural, deep affection for one another and a strong group identity as Family. All in all, a powerful confluence of links between participants and one may expect that to translate into a group consciousness that more than makes up for the smaller amount of personal mana that can be generated.

In a personal rite one can likewise assume that knowledge, affection, and identity will be nearly perfect and certainly at the highest level possible; resulting in a potentially ideal state of consciousness and ability to steer a rite. However, a single ritualist must generate all the mana, enthusiasm, and general “oomph” for a rite on their own. S/he will not have the benefit of relying on fellow participants to give the mana a boost if they begin to flag or lose focus. A completely flat rite becomes more of a possibility.

What six methods of prayer does Ceisiwr Serith describe? Briefly suggest an example of how you might employ each in your personal worship practices. You may include worship with a group if applicable. (Minimum 200 words)

In A book of Pagan Prayer Ceisiwr Serith identifies 6 methods of prayer: words, posture, motion, dance, music, and gestures. Prayer with words is easily the most common portion of my personal practices. I compose prayers, speak them aloud, commit the words to the Fire, sing them, shout them, whisper them through the Well to my Ancestors, inscribe them on gifts I leave for the Nature Spirits. Words form the bulk of my communication with the Kindreds. Prayer through posture is a bit trickier for me as I sometimes feel silly standing in group ritual with my arms akimbo. However, in personal rites I am developing a heightened comfort level for assuming various postures at particular points in the liturgy. When addressing the Kindreds I stand with my arms at shoulder level and my hands reaching up. I often lay upon the ground when calling on the Earth Mother.Prayer through motion is finding its way into my practice mostly during times when I am addressing Nature Spirits, during which I rotate to indicate that I am addressing all of that Kindred around me. I have begun including a describing of the Druid Sigil as part of our Grove’s High Day processional with tangibly positive results.Prayer through dance should be a natural form of expression for me, yet I had only done it once, during my Dedication Ritual at the outset of Dedicant Work. It strikes me that the incorporation of some folkloric steps into the calls to the Kindreds could be meaningful and effective. My invocations often use dance-related imagery, and I believe even moving in a rhythmic grapevine while reciting a mantra to call a deity would be a profound expansion.Prayer through music In my private rites I often sing one of the ADF chants instead of speaking words of summoning. Prayer through gesture is relatively new to my practice. During a recent Grove study of Ogham I related what my first Senior Druid had told me about each few in an aicme relating to the 3 pads of a finger and 2 of the thumb (4 fingers, 4 aicmes, 5 few each). It then dawned on us that using those hand positions during magical workings or during invocations would heighten the action and deepen its meaning. It has since become a regular part of my own practice.

What arguments does Ceisiwr Serith make in support of set prayers (as opposed to spontaneous prayers)? Discuss how these arguments apply (or do not apply) to solitary Pagan prayer. (Minimum 200 words)

Beyond citing various examples of paleo-Pagan use of set prayers, Serith presents the phenomenon of “deepening” as the most important benefit of set prayers. He describes “deepening” thus, The more often a prayer is said, the deeper it sinks into your consciousness. Eventually, it sinks into your unconscious mind. When this happens, it can be said that the prayer prays you. It becomes part of who you are. (Serith, 67). Surely the value of this must be apparent to any Pagan questing after heightened piety.

In times of need, or great emotional upheaval, Serith points out that prayers learned by heart can provide comfort at a time when original composition may not be possible. I have experienced this myself and can attest to the usefulness of learned set prayers. The midst of childbirth was not a time I felt able to compose a prayer, but saying one I had learned and been using in regular devotionals helped me through.

He points out also that reciting memorized prayers does not reduce prayer to a mechanized action. The relationship between prayer, pray-er, and the being to whom one prays still exists and is not negated or belittled by the use of set prayers. A learned prayer may still be said with true feeling and genuine emotion. In my experience, composing a prayer to a Patron, and learning it word-for-word enabled me to feel able to perform daily devotionals. Once I knew what I would say, I no longer felt overwhelmed by the creative requirement of a devotional rite and I could simply make my offering and say my prayer. The relationship I enjoyed with the Patron blossomed and I saw real rewards to my devotionals. Without having learned my prayer, I doubt I would have performed devotional rites daily, and likely would have stopped performing them with much regularity at all.

Requirement #2: Documenting personal ritual practice:

Keep and submit for review a journal documenting the development and observance of the personal/household worship customs described above covering a period of not less than four months, including one observance of a seasonal festival, such as one of the eight ADF High Days. Entries are to be not less than weekly. The text of individual prayers and longer devotional rituals should be provided as frequently as possible. Regular practices occurring less than weekly will be considered if they are documented as revivals or reconstructions of historically-attested observances occurring less than weekly.

Aug. 22: Regular devotional rite. Including a prayer to the spirit of a plum tree that had some groundhog-inflicted damage.Silvered bark and graceful limbsSweet-dripping fruits bring forthSlivered bark and groaning limbheal now, mend now, grow with grace again.”I offered compost & honey at its base.Omen: Tinne-I used Steve Blamires to help interpret and am going with a loose reading of “reincarnation to physical life” (Blamires, 130) for my poor savaged plum tree.

Aug. 15: Regular devotional rite w/ singing. Omen: Coll hazel: sweetest of trees. I interpreted this as a reminder to do the summer pruning of the fruit trees.

Aug. 8: Regular devotional rite. Instead of Ogham, I waited for an Omen from nature, and, though it was dark, a spicebush swallowtail butterfly (who in my UPG is a messenger of Persephone) came and landed on my wine glass while I was holding it. I took this as a direct blessing of the wine and drank it up gratefully.

July 25:regular devotional rite. Omen: Duir I am on the right track, making progress in these Land Spirit alliances.

July 18: regular devotional rite. in addition to honoring the Land Spirits, I included praise to Persephone, who I think has been trying to get my attention. I chanted “Persephone, Persephone, return, return, return, return. Persephone, Persephone, return, return, return, return. Ai-Ay, ai-ay, ai-ay, ai-ay, ai-oh, ai-oh, ai-oh, ai-oh. Ai-Ay, ai-ay, ai-ay, ai-ay, ai-oh, ai-oh, ai-oh, ai-oh” and danced a Kurdish folk dance around the fire (I know it isn’t culturally appropriate, but I wanted to dance, and I don’t know that many folk steps that facilitate circular movement) I offered a loaf of bread, hollowed out and filled with honey and lemon balm.I did not take an omen since the strawberry plants had all come back into bloom and the fruits were ripe this evening--that seemed like a positive omen to me and a lovely reciprocation.

June 30: rite of thanksgiving: Virginia was hit with a terrible storm and power is out all over. Lots of trees came down, power lines came down, houses and property were destroyed. Our land was not injured. The oak lost two limbs. neighbors on all sides of us had big trees down and fences destroyed--but we were ok. I believe that is what the quert omen meant.I did not do the full devotional rite, I only went to the Nature Spirit garden and offered corn meal and milk/honey, “Spirits who defend this land, I offer you my gratitude. For watching and warding, for fending the storm, my thanks are yours. I bring you gifts for your great service. I bring you thanks for what you do. Spirits of this Land, Hail to you!”

June 27: Regular devotional text w/ singing. I offered milk/honey, and also made a second offering of fish fertilizer. Omen: quert--protection.

June 20: High Day-Midsommar: regular devotional text with the addition of the following prayer to rain spirits instead of the Land Spirits, “The skies burn. The soil burns. The air itself is scorched. I call to you spirits of the soaking rain. Cloud-clothed Ones, hear me! Where have you gone? Why have you fled from us who await you, awash with sweat? Return o water wights, return you beings of the freshening rains. Come bless us with nourishing showers, sparing us from ravaging storms. No gusting gales we seek, but do come soak our soil! (burn a dried fern stalk-folk charm for bringing rain) Come shower sprites, and claim your gifts” Offer wine to the Fire and light 9 sticks of Rain incense (I know, I know, goofy, but who knows...)Omen two came out: ngetal: fern or broom--I’m going with fern--healing and beginning of heroic deeds. And saille, willow, beginning of loss--in this case it seems like not a great omen, I can’t tell you why I feel that way.

June 13:Regular devotional text, but with singing instead of spoken invocations.

June 6: Regular devotional text, spoken version. Instead of milk/honey mixture I turned the Compost saying this chant, From blessed use to blessed useThe Mother TurnsAnd all things turnSoil to root to fruit to soilsoil to root to fruit to soilsoil to root to fruit to soilOmen: Ur- the grave--kind of like compost.

May 30: Regular devotional text except, this time I sang “Fur and Feather,” “Blood of the Ancients,” and “Hail all the Gods” instead of the scripted invocations below. Omen: Eadh--new name for a friend. Singing is a-ok with them.

May 23:Regular devotional Text, but instead of milk/honey I offered fish fertilizer to the garden via a hose spreader with this prayer, “Flow deep, flow deep, to roots that creep, nourishment seek, flow deep, flow deep, flow deep.” Omen: Luis--the Land spirits are glad I listened to their displeasure last week, and they will continue to speak with me.

May 16:Regular devotional text. Omen: Straif: they’re unhappy with me for not putting several potted plants in the ground (the plants didn’t make it)

May 9: Regular devotional text. Omen: Fearn the milk bag. A promise of fertility, I believe to mean wealth from the new garden,

May 2: This is the outline of my standard devotional rite, to be performed weekly, on Wednesday evenings, at an outdoor altarEarth Mother prayer, said while lying on ground: Great Mother, from whose body I was created, by whose bounty I am sustained, and to whose bosom I shall return; O sweet soil, O silent stone, I sing to your spirit (sing Earth Mother chant x3)Stand and light Fire: As my Ancestors have done before me, let me pray with a good Fire.Triple Center: pour water in Well, “waters of rebirth flowing deep. Sacred Waters flow within me.” Pour oil of Fire, “Cosmic flames of creations, Sacred Fire, burn within me.” light incense and place at foot of tree, asperge lightly, “deep-reaching, high-reaching, Sacred Tree grow within me.”Gatekeeper: in orans position, “Gatekeeper of my people, hear me. I come with a gift and ask in return that you hold open the Gates that I may be clearly heard, that I may clearly hear. Let the Gates be Open!” offer whiskey to Fire.Nature Spirits: arms out and rotating slowly “hear me my allies, hear me my friends, hear my voice in soil and stone, in whisker and ear, in root and shoot. Draw near to my fire. I bring you a gift!” offer oats at base of Tree.Ancestors: kneel at Well and speak into it “Hear me in the Halls of the Dead. I call to my kin who know me and claim me. Draw near to my fire. I bring you a gift.” offer whiskey to Well.Shining Ones: in orans, “Gods of my people, who aid me and heed me. Gifts we have often exchanged. Draw near to my fire. I have brought you a gift.” pour whiskey on fire.Sacrifice: in orans “Spirits of this land, we have made a bargain and tonight I keep it. We share this space. You defend me, and gift me with beauty, nourishment, and wisdom. Tonight I honor you, remember you, and bring you this gift (pour out honey/milk mixture, partially on Fire, mostly on ground). Allies of this land, accept my sacrifice!”Omen: “I ask you now what would have me know?” draw Omen. Beith: beginnings. appropriate for the first of devotionals intended to be regular. with thumb pressed to top pad on index finger, hold hand over wine, “Spirits of this Land I hear you and accept your blessing.” drink wine.Farewells: “Spirits of the Land, I thank you. Great Shining Ones, I thank you, Beloved Ancestors, I thank you. Gatekeeper, for your work this night I thank you, I have heard and been heard, let the Gates be closed.” Lay on ground, “Great Mother, uphold me in the world as you have upheld me in this rite.”